Phew. Phew!

Last night I had a beer and then James and I went into Elgin around 6:30 to vote; a man with a Band-Aid for a mustache (really!) named Bob registered James, and then James voted--he then came over to me to act as my witness so I could vote in Elgin, and while I was voting, James chatted with Bob--Bob said, Well if Obama wins Virginia, it's damn over, and that's such a shame.

But Wabasha County voted blue, so maybe Bob's alone on those views. Maybe all the farmers got out and supported the DFL, the party sporting the name of their early morning professions.

Other people in the Elgin fire station said, Who knew all those people lived in Elgin. Elgin! Where do dey live here?!

Oh, you know, back in all dose subdivisions, ya know.

I feel better. I feel good. I feel excited. I know all of us don't share the same views--or maybe we do--but I'm jazzed. And I'm not saying that in a racist way. I feel some sort of positive energy running through my veins right now about the future of our country. And nothing has happened yet, but still, I can be proud of us. I can say: Hey, everyone. We're capable of voting for a black president. We are the country who is capable of that. And I can say, hey everyone. Thanks for taking heed to that Palin part of the ticket and voting Blue. Thanks for voting for someone who is half black, not half fucking retarded. Go 'merica! Brains are more important than looks! Lovely observation, us.

I sort of want to sing. I sort of want to be in the same room with Obama, feeling his energy radiate through the microphone. I believe what he says. Not all of it, but most. It feels good to be part of a historical election. It felt good to wake up to the sound of NPR this morning when my alarm went off at 4:30: and, of course, the biggest news today: America has elected its first African-American president of the United States.

It felt like I was in the movie that will be made of this in 5 years.

Most importantly, though: No more political ads. It's over. Do you know how much, how long I've been listening to political coverage. Like 2 years in preparation for this. The coverage isn't going to stop, but at least that sickly feeling in my gut is going to go away.

Soon: goodbye, NCLB! Let's reform the shit out of education. Let's give teachers more money and give students more opportunity to get edu-ma-cated. Let's lower healthcare costs. Do you realize that all 8 years I've been in college that Bush has been the man in charge? At least for the last semester, I get to be in the blue. It's going to take a long time to get there, but at least our car is finally pointed in the right direction. Our energy efficient car.

Are you there, God? It's me, Jeano. Thanks for letting this happen. Barack and Roll, baby. Barack and Roll.

*photos courtesy of Time

Finally, watching election coverage on CNN is probably the most frustrating and annoying thing ever. First of all, Wolf Blitzer is a grossy. Secondly, these "projections" that they make, written in tiny font "projection" about the phrase BARACK OBAMA ELECTED FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES is really stupid. They think that we're not going to see projection and just believe them? What does that help them gain. It's stupid. With all of these projections (which are fine, if they're made with decent evidence, but they're what got us into trouble before) I can't help but wonder how far they'll keep going. I thought they were just going to start making predictions for 2012 for crying out loud. Dumb bastards.

But I was happy (and a little drunk) that it ended early, and I fell asleep on the couch while listening to the low tones of Obama's acceptence speech, the new puppy the girls will get to bring to the white house, the time and investment it'll take for us to get started on this right path. And I thought--I thought of my own projection. A projection about the losers. A projection that Sarah Palin was just some weird blip on the nation's map, there, and then gone, the light going dim until it fades and we forget it was there. People will say, remember when 20% of the nation supported her? Man, were we high, or what? Remember when she said she was "womanly" because she was a mom, as though having procreated is what makes you a woman? What the fuck were we on, man?!

Anyway, my projection is this:

1 year and one month from today--December 2009--Sarah Palin is on the cover of Playboy. That's right. You'll be searching for that little bunny head in her American Stripes bra and panties set, and she'll be inside, naked, and you'll think: oh, yeah, that lady. Making another mistake. Cunt-astic.